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Joe Biden Reportedly More Open to Calls for Him to Step Aside as Candidate
Joe Biden has reportedly become more open in recent days to hearing arguments that he should step aside as the Democratic presidential candidate after the party’s two main congressional leaders told him they doubted his ability to beat Donald Trump.While continuing to insist he will be the party’s nominee in November, the president has reportedly started asking questions about negative polling data and whether Vice-President Kamala Harris, considered the favorite to replace him if were to withdraw, fares better.
The indications of a possible rethink come after Biden tested positive on Wednesday for Covid-19, forcing him to isolate for several days while curtailing a campaigning visit to Nevada that had been part of a drive to show his candidacy was very much alive.
It also coincides with fresh polling data showing that he now trails Trump by two points in Virginia, a state he won by 10 points in 2020.
The Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey showed Trump ahead by 45% to 43%, within the margin of error but consistent with a spate of other polls showing that Biden’s support has fallen in swing states since his disastrous showing at last month’s debate in Atlanta.
Biden’s newfound receptivity to at least the possibility of stepping aside represents a shift from the position he adopted at a press conference at last week’s Nato summit in Washington, when he told journalists he would only drop out if polling data showed him “there’s no way you can win”.
“No one’s saying that,” he added.
His willingness to listen to opposing arguments comes after Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, and Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, reportedly both told him that it would be in the country’s interests if he stepped aside, ABC reported.
Originally, I wasn't for Biden stepping down unless it was his decision. But I trust Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff, and believe they have the best interest of the country at heart. If Biden decides to run, I believe he'll have a 50/50 chance of winning. And I believe if they go with Kamala and a new vice president, the new start will energize the base and other voters, increasing the Democrats chances to win. I believe if Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton strongly believed Biden could win, they would've endorsed him already. I could see the three coming out to endorse Kamala and the new vice president candidate to motivate the Democratic base and other voters. We knew this was going to be a wild election year, it's surpassing our expectations.
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